To take care of the basketball and improve our field-goal percentage from past few seasons.

What concerns you the most?

Being able to take advantage of scoring opportunities. I believe our defense can give us opportunities to win, but can our offense score enough to win?

Team goals for this season?

Finish top half of ACAC, get to sectional finals and have a chance to win.

Overall assessment of the team?

We have a mix of returning experience and inexperience. We lost over 60 percent of our scoring

and over 50 percent of our rebounding. We are expecting both returners and newcomers to step up and more than fill that void. They have the potential to do it and we've seen it in offseason workouts and in the preseason, but it must be translated and executed in actual game settings. We are definitely going to be a work in progress, could see some challenges until we figure out our identity and get each one fulfilling her role.

BLUFFTON

Coach: Karl Grau, 1st season

Last year's record: 6-14

Returning starters/ regulars

Gina Eisenhut, 5-11, Sr., center, 17.7 ppg, 12.1 rpg

Marissa Castano, 5-8, Sr., forward, 9.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg

Makalah Tullis, 5-7, Sr., guard, 2.7 ppg

Sierra Steffen, 5-10, Jr., forward

Key newcomers

Lauren Stauffer, So.

Lauren Brinneman, So.

Connelly Mettler, So.

Hannah Mock, Jr.

Coach Grau says:

What do you need to succeed?

Defend, take care of the ball and communicate with each other.

What concerns you the most?

Learning a new system and getting solid point guard play.

Team goals for this season?

Work hard to be competitive and establish a positive culture for the program.

Overall assessment of the team?

The Tigers have worked hard to improve but will have to find replacement(s) for Erin McKinley at point guard (out for season with torn ACL).

GARRETT

Coach: Bob Lapodot, 2nd season (13-7)

Last year's record: 13-7

Returning starters/regulars

Becca Olivers, 5-6, Sr., guard, 3 ppg, 3 rpg

Emma Riedley, 6-0, Sr., center, 1 ppg, 1 rpg

Brandi Dawson, 5-7, Jr., forward, 15 ppg, 6 rpg, 2 apg, 2 spg

Katlin Wisel, 5-4, Jr., guard, 2 ppg, 2 apg

Alaina Creager, 5-7, Jr., guard, 2 ppg, 2 apg

Rachel Stafford, 5-7, Jr., forward

Emily Somers, 5-5, So., guard

Britmarie Yarian, 5-6, So., guard

Key newcomers

Bailey Sutton, 5-8, So., forward

Taylor Smith, 6-1, Fr., center

Rachel DePew, 5-4, Fr., guard

Coach Lapadot says:

What do you need to succeed?

We need to grow up quickly. Brandi and Kaitlin will have to carry the scoring load until the rest of the kids find their way. We also need to be a full-court defensive team and force turnovers.

What concerns you the most?

Scoring the basketball. We have kids who aren't afraid of the moment or the shot, it's just a matter of knocking the shots down. Rebounding will also be key since we will play four guards a lot of the time.

Team goals for this season?

Our goals will remain the same as always. We want to compete for the conference and conference tournament championships and then be playing our best basketball at sectional time.

Overall assessment of the team?

We will be a deep team and a quick team. We have a lot of athletes that can run and jump. We need to execute offensively and get the ball to the right people at the right times.

HERITAGE

Coach: John Beckman, 3rd season (15-27)

Last year's record: 13-9

Returning starters/regulars

Miriah Bradtmueller, 5-8, Sr., forward, 7.6 ppg, 5 rpg

Kendall Knapke, 5-10, So., forward, 6 ppg, 6 rpg

Hannah Beckman, 5-5, So., guard, 5.6 ppg, 2.3 apg

Katie Saalfrank, 5-8, Sr., forward, 4.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg

Jackie Niemeyer, Sr., guard

Key newcomers

McKenzie Brown, Jr.

Katlyn Biberstine, Sr., guard

Coach Beckman says:

What do you need to succeed?

Our top five players give us a lot of hope going into the season so if we develop some of the newcomers we hope to match or exceed last season's results.

What concerns you the most?

My biggest concern going into this season is beyond our first five will we have the depth we had last year? We will be looking at kids on the bench with little or no varsity playing experience. Depending on how fast they develop to playing at this level and doing it on a consistent basis will determine how we go.

Overall assessment of the team?

We are excited to get going and evaluate areas we need to improve on and hopefully experience success along the way.

LEO

Coach: Carrie Shappell, 8th year (94-65)

Last year's record: 19-5 Returning starters/regulars

Keanna Gary, 6-1, Sr., center, 11.7 ppg, 10 rpg

Taylor Seiss, 5-6, Sr., guard, 10 ppg

Toby Carman, 5-8, Jr., forward

Tia Lindsey, 5-6, Jr., forward, 2.7 ppg

Jenna Beer, 5-6, So., guard, 5 ppg, 1.7 apg

Key newcomers

Haley Bowers, 5-9, Sr., forward

Millie Adams, 5-6, So., guard

Coach Shappell says:

What do you need to succeed?

We will need to focus on rebuilding by developing leadership and team chemistry. What concerns you the most?

We will have some young kids that need to fill in some role positions this year. I am excited to see how they grow into their roles this year, though.

Team goals for this season?

We would like to win conference, conference tournament, and make a run in the state tournament.

Overall assessment of the team?

While we lost quite a few seniors, our returners are excited to get back on the court and work hard to continue to tradition. We are looking forward to a fun year!

SOUTH ADAMS

Coach: Brett Freeman, 1st season

Last year's record: 3-18

Returning starters/regulars

Alli Amstutz, 5-7, Jr., forward, 3 ppg, 2.4 spg

Dzejna Ahmetovic, 6-0, Jr., center, 12.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg

Kristen Muselman, 5-6, Sr., guard, 2.5 ppg, 2 apg

Lauren Smith, 5-5, So., guard, 5.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg

Sharon Balsiger, 5-10, So., forward, 2.6 ppg, 49 rpg

Mackenzie Jennings, 5-7, So., forward

Key newcomers

Alyssa Bluhm, 5-9, Jr., forward

Maddie Morgan, 5-6, Fr., guard

Keirstyn Grimm, 5-5, Fr., guard

Coach Freeman says:

What do you need to succeed?

This season the girls will need to work hard and continue to develop their skills. It will take some time for the girls to fully understand and develop under the system. The sooner they can grasp the system, success will follow.

What concerns you the most?

Numbers are low this season which means the bench will be a little shorter. Girls will need to be in good shape and disciplined in all aspects of the game.

Team goals for this season?

This season our main focus is to get better every day. If we approach each day with that mentality, good things will happen. Some key areas we'd like to change is to crack the win column in the ACAC. It has been three years since South Adams has won a conference game. That must change, and I believe it will.

Overall assessment of the team?

We have size and athleticism on this team. There is a lot of potential for this to be a strong group. We will just work hard to get our skills and mindsets to a higher level.

SOUTHERN WELLS

Coach: John Fouts, 15th season (190-115)

Last year's record: 18-7

Returning starters/regulars

Carissa Carter, 5-8, Jr., forward, 6.8 ppg

Brittney Morton, 5-5, Sr., guard, 2.8 ppg

Sam Rhodes, 5-6, Sr., guard, 6.2 ppg

Ashton Prible, 5-8, Jr., forward, 2.4 ppg

Key newcomers

Lela Knowles, 5-4, So., guard

Tylar Sanford, 5-5, Sr., guard

Savanah Deakyne, 5-7, So., forward

Catie Horton, 5-9, Jr., forward

The News-Sentinel says:

What do you need to succeed?

Somebody has to step up to replace the 32 points per game that graduated stars Mallory Preston, Morgan Perry and Sadie Herr scored.

What concerns you the most?

There's not much height anywhere on the roster with only one player, junior Hilary Paxson, measuring at least 5-10.

Team goals for the season?

The Raiders have won six sectional titles in a row in Class 1A and haven't had a losing record since 2001-02. Neither streak should end this season.

WOODLAN

Coach: Tonya Burns-Cohrs, 26th season (207-291)

Last year's record: 13-9

Returning starters/regulars

sLauren Ehle, 5-5, Sr., guard, 14 ppg.

Jaryn Malfait, 5-9, Sr., forward/center, 5.23 ppg

Haley Hostetler, 5-6, Jr., guard, 8.55 ppg

Burgundy Price, 5-6, Jr., guard/forward, 10.6 ppg

Brooke Gerbers, 5-6, Jr., guard, 6.90 ppg.

Key newcomers

Morgan Franklin, 5-3, Jr., guard

Tori Bontrager, 6-2, Jr., center

Jazmine Williams, 6-0, So., center

Coach Burns-Cohrs says:

What do you need to succeed?

With a strong core of returning players, the Warriors need to improve on the defensive end, continue to improve upon our shooting behind the arc and cut the turnovers down. In addition, we need significant contribution from our bench.

What concerns you the most?

Last year we were overlooked and surprised a lot of teams. This year we are not going to be overlooked. The team needs to understand this and go into every game focused.